The Maid's Secret

Chapter 12: Picture Book

RIEDA'S POV

"Well then, nice to meet the two of you," I said as the three of us part on our own ways.

Monique is about to tell me more than just a farewell when Estrelle interfered and dragged her away from me. As I watch them off, I can't seem to take the smile on my face. The two of them were amusingly nice and lovely ladies despite their real jobs. Looks could really be deceiving, you know. You'll never know what those two could kick anyone's a*s off in a second.

Nang hindi ko na maaninagan pa ang kanilang mga presensya ay ibinaba ko na ang kamay ko at kinuha ko na ang helmet kong nakasabit sa may side mirror ng motorsiklo. Our little chat is done and now, I have to face my reality again. The conversation was surprisingly great while it lasts. While I interact as Rieda Fernandez and not as somebody else.

"Vanna, let's go," I told my guardian and the motorcycle's engine started automatically. Binigyan ko pa ng huling sulyap ang direksyon kung saan nawala ang dalawa sa paningin ko at nang makuntento ako ay sumakay na ako at pinatakbo ang motorsiklo.

Estrelle Bermart and Monique Alcantara. Just like me, they were hired to protect the other two young masters for the same set of reasons. It was understandable. Derek is not the only heir to some big-time company. Derek is not possibly the only one who could be receiving such awful death threats. Derek is not the sole person who could be the key to someone selfish in his ambitions. Fame, wealth, and luxury, they were the roots of the evil of any human being in this world. They would kill just for these reasons. Lame and inhumane reasons.

The three of us have their own share of stories about how difficult protecting those three. It's actually interesting. Talking with your fellow agents about how hardheaded and stubborn our masters could be. Estrelle complained about how hard it is to hide her identity to a genius in hacking and gadgets like Glen, while Monique talked about how disgusting and how perverted Niel is. She keeps on telling us her experiences taking care of a certified playboy and the so-called thorn to every lady's heart.

"Vanna, how's the client doing right now?" I asked as I watched my location nears the subdivision where De Guzman household stands. For sure, as soon as I got home, Martin Woods would scold me with the top of his lungs. Manang Delia would give me multiple house chores and I could see myself spending a night with my body almost covered with pain relief patches once again.

`Knowing Vanna, my guardian for years, she would always deliver me the answers to my questions, the solutions to my problems, and the suggestions to my uncertainty. That's why I find it unusual for her to not answer my recent inquiry. I immediately stopped driving and get myself and my vehicle on the roadside.

Wind flashed to my face as soon as I halted. I've watched how other vehicles passed as I stay still. Could it be... Though I am aware enough that this will come, I am still afraid of the actual thing. Who am I kidding? Being an agent is not just my life. It's my whole existence. I have sworn on my first day that I would never disappoint nor would I disobey any of Master Phoenix's orders.

And look what I've done...

Napansin ko na lang na panay ang pagtunog ng cellphone ko sa bulsa ng jacket ko. Kahit na ba may ideya na ako kung sino ito, mas minabuti ko pa rin itong itanong. "Who is it, Vanna?"

"Tell me, please. Somehow, I can't bring myself to check it out with my own pair of eyes," I begged. I know my guardian can still hear me and my questions. Sadyang siya lang talaga ang mas nauunang nakatatanggap ng mensahe kaysa sa akin. At kahit na ba isa lang siyang 'di hamak na device, alam kong alam niya kung gaano kahalaga sa akin sa tingin ni Master Phoenix sa akin at ang trabahong ito.

"It's a call from the line of Phoenix Organization, Headquarters Number 0441, Philippines," she answered.

Napapikit na lang ako sa kasagutan niya. Huminga muna ako nang malalim bago ko tanggalin ang helmet ko. Here we go... "Accept."

["Agent Ishtar, this is Agent Eros speaking. On behalf of the Phoenix Organization's Disciplinary Office and Management, I am requiring you to arrive at the soonest time possible here in the headquarters. Though I know you won't need any hint for what this is all about, might as well say it. The call is regarding the actions you've done on an underground motorcycle racing competition."]

"I see this coming. Don't worry, I won't escape. Give me fifteen minutes," at mabilis ding namatay ang tawag sa tugon na ibinigay ko. Napabuntong-hininga na lang ako at napatingin-tingin sa paligid.

Nagninilay-nilay pa ako bago ko mapagdesisyunang umalis nang dumako ang tingin ko sa relo ko. "Are they going to confiscate you as well, Vanna?" tanong ko. Vanna has never been far away from me ever since she was given to me. She was precious and at the same time, my company. My company ever since my first year as an agent.

"The answer would depend on how heavy your actions weigh on the master's perspective, milady. As for me, of course, I would never want to be away from the sole mistress that I have."

Awtomatikong napangiti naman ako sa isinagot ni Vanna. "Thank you."

****

Pagkarating ko sa himpilan ay agad kong ipinagkatiwala sa isa sa mga empleyado ang motorsiklo ko upang maigarahe ito. Ni hindi ko na rin masyadong natugunan pa ang mga pagbati sa akin dahil dire-diretso nang nagmartsa ang mga paa ko papunta sa opisina kung saan makakausap mo ang pinuno ng organisasyon.

I was nervous... No, I am indeed nervous. Bawat hakbang papalapit sa pintuan ng opisinang iyon ay parang lalabas na ang puso ko mula sa katawan ko sa sobrang kaba. Rieda, remember, you have your reasons why you did it. You just have to defend yourself!

At bago ko pa man hawakan ang seradura ay mataman na itong binuksan ng isa sa mga sekretarya para sa akin. Inalo naman ako nito papasok at papunta sa lupon ng mga upuan kung saan naroroon na rin ang matalik kong kaibigan na si Mark. Mabilis na nagtagpo ang mga mata namin at alam kong may pag-aalalang laman ito.

"Master, Rieda Fernandez of Special Duties Department, XLM-173 Agent Ishtar has arrived," Mark announced.

Bahagyang umugong muna ang speaker na siyang nagdurugtong sa koneksyon namin ngayon ng tinuring ko ng tatay-tatayan. Nang maayos ito ay huminga akong muli nang malalim upang ihanda ang sarili ko.

["Rieda, you are absolutely aware of what I had ordered you to do, aren't you?"] pag-papasimula niya sa usapan.

"Yes, master."

["Then why did you still choose to compromise? Why didn't you follow my order?"] There's this unbelieving sigh from him that made me realize the disappointment that I gave him. How I shattered my image on him as a strict compliant of his rules and orders.

At that moment, I was still able to pull myself altogether. I need to explain myself or else he will really suspend my license and confiscate my gadgets and weapons. "I did that because Derek's life is on the line. I know I'm risking my own safety at that time but the client's life is more important. He's my responsibility. He's my priority. I can protect myself, he can't. He doesn't even know that the majority of his opponents were all plotting about his death," mahinahong pagpapaliwanag ko sa panig ko. I am just implying how my principles function and I hope he understands me just like what he always does.

["Oo nga at nasa panganib din ang buhay niya. Pero kapag napahamak ka, mapapahamak din siya. Your problem is also his problem, Rieda. Those people are hunting you down. Are you going to wait for Derek to be killed because of you?"] panenermon nito.

Naiintindihan ko naman ang pinupunto niya. Alam ko kung gaano kabigat ang naging aksyon ko. Pero magagawa ko pa bang alalahanin ang kaligtasan ko kung naroroon na rin ako sa mismong lugar kung saan kahit anong segundo e maaaring mamatay si Derek?

You can't just think of your own life if you are responsible for another person's life.

"Then what do you suggest me to do? Ang hayaan na lang siyang mapahamak sa mga oras na iyon? I was already encountering difficulties that time considering the track venue! Kung hindi ko ginamit ang gravity leveler, baka hindi lang si Derek ang pinaglalamayan ngayon."

"Rieda..." pagtawag pansin sa akin ni Mark. Sinesenyasan na niya ako na itikom na ang bibig ko. I know I have gone beyond the line when I muttered that last sentence. But he knows me more than anyone. I could be more than frank if you want me to talk about life and death.

["Don't you ever say that to me again. How could you weigh people's lives that easily? How could you treat your life as something trivial?!"] pagtataas na ng boses nito. Kahit kailan, hindi ako pinagtaasan ng boses ni Master Phoenix. Kung kaya't kapwa kaming nasurpresa ni Mark sa tugon nito.

I can already imagine it. The way he massages his head and the way he is shaking it in disapproval to my actions. But... I am not the daughter he raised if I won't stand on my ground. "But isn't this my job? When I decided to be a secret agent, I've accepted the fact the I have to sacrifice for other people. That I have to protect others before myself. That I have to think of the majority before my personal intentions!" Hindi ko na rin naiwasan ang magtaas ng boses.

Naghahalo-halo na ang mga nararamdaman ko. Ang kagustuhan kong ipagtanggol ang sarili ko. Ang takot ko na masuspinde at makumpiska ang mga gamit ko. Ang pag-aalala ko kung sino ang hahawak sa misyon ko. Ang kaba ko sa kung ano ang pwede mangyari kay Derek habang wala ako kung sakaling isuspinde nila ako. Ang mga katanungan kung ano ang gagawin ko sa oras na masuspinde ako. Hindi ko na alam. Hindi ko na alam ang gagawin ko.

["All of us in this world were all humans. No one is more or less important. We are all equal. In this organization, I didn't raise you to be heroes but I trained you to learn how to protect others while protecting yours. Mukhang nagkulang ako sa pagpapaunawa."] Huminahon na ang tono ng pananalita niya. Marahan na lang ito ngunit may mga pasaglit na pagbuntong hininga sa ilang pagitan nito.

Napatahimik ako sa mga sinabi niya. May punto siya roon. At oo, nasaktan ako nang mabanggit niya na nagkulang siya sa paalala. Para sa akin, hindi siya ang may kasalanan kung nagkulang ako sa pag-unawa. Ako ang nagkulang sa parte na iyon. All this time, my only goal was to avenge my family's death and to get everything done clean and neat. I guess, when you are too concentrated on one thing, you tend to overlook the whole picture.

However, what can I do? After my family died from that damn fire, I've never felt to be someone important again. Someone that could affect others by simply existing. Unconsciously, being a secret agent is actually a mere excuse for that lonely side of me. To think that I matter somehow. But you see... Being a secret agent doesn't guarantee the value that you wanted to have.

It's because you are worrying about other people's sake without them knowing. In the end, it's just like a typical one-sided love story.

["For the meantime, you are suspended."]

Napaangat ako ng ulo nang marikinig ko iyon. Suspended? I will still get a suspension even though I told him my reasons?! I thought he would understand...

"Master?" Mark. It looks like he doesn't see it coming too. He is even the one who told me that Master Phoenix would probably consider my situation but he's wrong.

["Read it to her."]

Mark looked at me with concern. Mukhang hindi rin talaga siya sang-ayon sa desisyon na isuspinde ako. Gayunpaman, kailangan niyang sumunod sa utos. He's still an employee of this organization. He has to follow the protocol. And as for me who defied that, I have to be given a necessary disciplinary action.

Labag man sa loob ay binuksan niya ang tablet niya at hinanap ang kopya ng naturang desisyon ni Master Phoenix. Bago niya ito basahin ay tumingin muna ito sa akin nang may magkasalubong na mga kilay at bagsak na mga balikat.

"Miss Fernandez, a member of the Special Duties Department is officially suspended for one week due to her failure to comply and to carry out the tasks given to her by the head of the organization. The suspension will be effective as soon as she leaves this room. The suspension covers her being banned from any involvement in any case. It is also highly f*******n to allow her to enter on any headquarters under the Phoenix Organization. Her license will also be temporarily terminated. Firearms and technology advancements made and from the agency aided to her will also be confiscated on this day itself. Lastly, she is prohibited to make any contact with any person who is related to her current mission until the end of the suspension."

Habang binabanggit ang bawat sakop ng suspensyon ay napapikit na lamang ako. Kung ganoon, kukunin nga rin nila si Vanna sa akin. Gusto ko sanang umangal at hilingin sana na iiwan na lang sa akin si Vanna pero... ang utos ay utos. Lumabag na ako ng isa. Hindi ko na dapat dagdagan pa. Kaya kahit na ba mabigat sa loob ko ay hinubad ko ang relo ko at ipinatong ito sa lamesa.

We'll see each other again, my guardian.

"Don't worry, Rieda. Kami na ang bahala tungkol kay Mr. De Guzman," pagpapagaan ni Mark sa loob ko. Tanging tango na lang ang naisagot ko rito. Sapat na na alam kong hindi nila pababayaan ang alaga ko habang wala ako.

Matapos kong isuko si Vanna ay hindi na ako nag-abala pang magtanong o magsabi ng kung ano. Tumayo na ako kaagad at nagbigay ng huling pagyuko bilang paggalang kay Master Phoenix bago ko tuluyang tinungo ang pintuan papalabas.

Pinagkibit-balikat ko na lang ang paglapit sa akin ng ibang empleyado at nagtuluy-tuloy lang ako papaunta sa exit. Pagkalabas na pagkalabas ko sa ahensya, napabuga na lang ako ng hininga. Hinugot ko mula sa pitaka ko ang lisensya ko at nakita ko ang pagbabago ng kulay nito at nabalutan ito ng purong itim. I can't help but tsk-ed. Its as if he is abandoning his child.

Nahagip din ng tingin ko ang pagkumpiska ng mga tauhan ni Master sa motorsiklo ko. Maliban kasi sa siya ang nagbigay nito ay may mga kasamang mga devices na naroroon kaya hindi na nakakagulat na kasama ito.

Now, where do I go? Hindi ko naman gugustuhin na umuwi sa isa pang bahay na mayroon ako rito sa Pilipinas. Maliban sa may kalayuan dito e baka mabaliw lang ako dahil iilan ang mga taong nakatira roon. Hindi rin naman ako pwedeng manatili sa mansyong binili ko na kalapit lang sa bahay ng mga De Guzman dahil paniguradong babantayan iyon ng ahensya.

Bahala na nga. Pumara na lang ako ng taxi para makauwi sa bahay na binili ko malapit sa pamamahay ng mga De Guzman. Bago pa man ito matahin ng ahensya, kailangan kong kunin na ang mga mahahalagang gamit ko. Mahirap na.

Naging mabilis lang ang biyahe at binayaran ko na ang tsuper. I told him to keep the change of my one thousand peso bill and he went off happily. Pumasok ako kaagad para kunin ang susi ng kotse ko at ang ilang gamit ko. Doon na rin ako nagpalit ng damit at nagtanggal ng make-up. Napapatingin man sa mansyon kung saan dapat ako naroroon ay pinilit ko na lang ilihis ang tingin ko at nilisan ko na ang bahay at ang subdivision.

Pinatakbo ko ang sasakyan ko papunta sa unit na nabili ko nito lang. Despite knowing that I don't really have anything to do with the one week suspension, I still tried to cheer myself up. Inisip ko na lang na nasa isang bakasyon ako mula sa lahat ng katarantaduhan at kalokohan ng isang Derek De Guzman.

I turned the light's switch on. Hinagis ko ang bag ko sa couch at pumasok sa kusina. Nagugutom na ako. Makapaghanda nga muna ng makakain. Dinampot ko ang panali at apron na nakalagay sa may counter at ginamit ang mga ito. I checked my refrigerator too if I have enough ingredients for the dish that I am planning to cook. To lessen the peace this f*****g unit has, I opened the television to hear anything. I don't like it when it's too quiet.

Bumukas ang telebisyon sa pagbabalita ng isang hindi pa katandaan na newscaster na ibinabalita ang tungkol sa mga misteryosong pagkamatay ng mga kabataan. "Another conflict, huh?"

"Hanggang sa ngayon ay patuloy pa ring iniimbestigahan ng kapulisan ang mga nagaganap na misteryosong pagkamatay ng mga kabataang ito. Gayunpaman ay nakahanap na ang mga ito ng posibleng magdirekta sa kanila sa mga suspek. Napag-alaman ng kapulisan na ang lahat ng mga nabiktima ay pawang mga anak ng mga empleyado ng mga bangko sa iba't ibang sulok ng bansa. Sa kabilang banda ay hindi pa rin matukoy ang motibo ng mga suspek ukol sa pagpatay..."

"Mga anak ng mga empleyado ng mga bangko..." pag-uulit ko sa sinabi ng newscaster. Ngayon na lang ako ulit nakapanood ng balita at ito pa talaga ang madadatnan ko. Kadalasan kasi ay sa ahensya unang pumapasok ang mga impormasyon ukol sa mga ganito kaya kung minsan ay hindi na kami nag-aatubili pang manood ng balita.

Dahil puros ganoon ang laman ng bawat channel, bumalik na lang muna ako sa kusina upang magpakulo muna ng karne. Habang hinihintay itong kumulo ay naisipan kong kumuha ng mababasa o matitingnan sa may magazine rack na nandito sa kusina. Binunot ko lang ang kahit anong madampot ko mula sa napakaraming pagpipilian at hindi naman ako nabigo ako sa nakuha ko.

The Man Who Have Searched Far and Wide

It was the picture book that I discovered from my drawer back then in Japan. I told myself to read it once I got into the Philippines but hey, appointments always ruin my plans so I haven't read it yet. Dinala ko naman ito sa may sala upang mabasa. Ipinatong ko ang dalawang siko ko sa mga hita ko at saka nagsimulang magbasa.

"Once upon a time, there's a happy family living in a very far away land. The place was filled with green grasses, smooth tunes of the birds' songs, the cold breeze of the air from the west, and the trees which provide the people with food. The father is a hardworking farmer and the mother is a generous woman. They were gifted with a beautiful daughter. They have nothing to wish for because they are living happily and peacefully. Until one day, a witch from a forest nearby came."

Oh, here comes the antagonist. I turned the next page to read the next paragraph. "The witch accused the father of the family as the thief who stole her greatest treasure in which the father denied. Thus, he was cursed to be ill until he gives the treasure back. The mother and the daughter tried to beg for the creature's forgiveness but in vain. No alchemist nor physician was able to cure the man but instead, a soft-hearted fairy came to their aid."

A fairy? "She offered to help them but cannot destroy the witch's curse unless he can prove to everybody that he didn't steal anything. The family asked how would she help them. The fairy then said that she can turn the man into a mythical bird and by doing so, he'll be free from the witch's grasp. The mother and child in panic refused but the..."

Hindi ko na naituloy pa ang pagbasa sa mga susunod na kataga. Maliban sa mga sira-sira nang mga gilid nito ay may mga ilang pahina rin na nawawala o hindi kaya'y napilas. Nakakapagtaka talaga. Kung ang librong ito ay nasa ahensya, bakit hindi ito naalagaan nang maayos? At sino ba ang may-ari nito? Bakit nga kaya nakita ko ito sa mga gamit ko?

Gawa nang hindi ko na rin ito mababasa pa nang maayos ay agad ko nang inilipat ang pahina sa pinakahuli nito. Akmang isasarado ko na ang libro nang mapansin kong may mga salitang nakasulat sa isang sulok nito. Halata na sulat-kamay ito. "Hachlama mehira, shemesh."

Hachlama mehira, shemesh? Aren't these Hebrew words?

I was about to contemplate with the words when a photograph fell from the picture book. Out of curiosity, I picked it up and I took a look at it. Unang pagkakita ko pa lamang dito ay tila hinigop ng kung ano ang hininga ko. Oh my god.

"Papa?"